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This executive summary, published in November 2015 by Climate Focus and partners, establishes a monitoring framework and provides an initial assessment of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF). Signed in September 2014, the NYDF consists of ten goals aimed at reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions by 4.5-8.8 billion tonnes by 2030. The document reports that while new initiatives and commitments have emerged in the year following the declaration, overall progress remains slow.

This executive summary details stakeholder consultations conducted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) between October 2013 and January 2015 to inform Manitoba's green economy and climate change action plan. The document outlines the province's greenhouse gas emissions profile, presents consensus-based recommendations for governance and energy efficiency, and explores various carbon pricing and environmental fiscal reform options.

This report examines the financial subsidies and externalities associated with coal use in China and evaluates how these subsidies hinder the growth of renewable energy.

This special edition of the Climate and Development Outlook by CDKN outlines Indonesia's climate change mitigation efforts, including its emissions targets, the establishment of the Indonesia Climate Change Trust Fund, and CDKN's support for climate-compatible development in the energy sector and forest conservation.

A joint submission to Alberta’s Climate Change Advisory Panel by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), The Lung Association of Alberta & Northwest Territories, and the Asthma Society of Canada, advocating for the phase-out of coal-fired power plants to protect human health and mitigate climate change.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes land use efficiency in Brazil, arguing that agricultural productivity can be increased and greenhouse gas emissions reduced without further deforestation. It highlights the potential of converting degraded pasturelands into croplands and examines successful historical examples of land use change, such as the soybean revolution and the implementation of the PPCDAm to combat Amazon deforestation. The document identifies key barriers to efficiency, including poor infrastructure, insecure land rights, and the need for better technology dissemination, while emphasizing the importance of enforcing the Brazilian Forest Code on private lands.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) outlines the federal fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for light-duty and medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in the United States from 2007 to 2027. It details the legislative history starting with the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the subsequent regulatory actions by the EPA and NHTSA, and the projected economic and environmental benefits of these standards.

This policy brief, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in July 2015, examines the relationship between the ambition level of the 2015 global climate agreement and the ability of countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Based on research by HR Wallingford and Metroeconomica, the brief argues that a high-ambition agreement—limiting global warming to 2°C—is essential for eradicating extreme poverty and ensuring sustainable development, whereas a low-ambition agreement would significantly undermine these goals, particularly in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America.

This fact sheet examines the potential for deploying mid-level ethanol blends (E25 to E40) in the United States passenger vehicle fleet to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It discusses the role of ethanol as a renewable octane provider, the compatibility of existing vehicle fleets and retail infrastructure, and the lifecycle GHG reductions associated with different ethanol sources.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the potential for deploying mid-level ethanol blends (E25 to E40) as high-octane fuels in the United States. It discusses the technical benefits for engine efficiency, the existing compatibility of the vehicle fleet and retail infrastructure, and the potential for significant greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions compared to conventional gasoline.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes Ontario's successful phase-out of coal-fired electricity generation, which was completed by the end of 2014. The study examines the factors that enabled this transition—categorized as context, champions, concerns, and complementary policies—and evaluates the resulting impacts on greenhouse gas emissions, public health, and the economy.

This commentary by Scott Vaughan, President and CEO of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), discusses the book 'On the Edge: The State and Fate of the World’s Tropical Rainforests' by Claude Martin. The text outlines the scientific history of tropical rainforest research, the primary drivers of deforestation—specifically agriculture and infrastructure—and the progress made through protected areas and remote sensing. It further examines the intersection of forest loss with climate change, carbon emissions, and the risks of species extinction.

This report, produced by PBL, NewClimate Institute, IIASA, and Ecofys, analyzes projected greenhouse gas emissions for seven major emitting countries through 2030. It evaluates the impact of current, planned, and enhanced mitigation policies to determine their potential to narrow the gap between expected emission levels and those required to meet the 2°C climate target.

This report analyzes the cumulative environmental impacts of expanding peat mining in Manitoba's Interlake. It finds that nutrient loading into Lake Winnipeg from these operations represents a small proportion of yearly loads, with phosphorus and nitrogen limits of 12 tonnes P yr-1 and 449 tonnes N yr-1 for all Manitoba lease holdings. Greenhouse gas emissions from land-use change are estimated to not exceed 0.4 million tonnes CO2e yr-1 for all current lease holdings within the province.

A case study by RMI detailing Kaiser Permanente's procurement of 153 MW of off-site wind and solar power through a deal with NextEra Energy Resources to meet its sustainability goals in California.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute outlines the expected components and critical evaluation criteria for the United States' Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to be submitted to the United Nations in March 2015, ahead of the Paris climate agreement in December 2015.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the policy landscape for low-carbon development in China's industrial zones, highlighting the transition from national targets to local implementation and the resulting regulatory complexities. It also references a separate IISD study on the fiscal risks facing BRIICS nations due to the global transition away from fossil fuels.

This executive summary analyzes the drivers of the deforestation slowdown in the Brazilian Amazon between 2004 and 2009, specifically comparing the impact of agricultural prices against conservation policies. The authors find that while agricultural prices influence forest clearing, targeted policy interventions introduced in 2004 and 2008 were instrumental in curbing deforestation, avoiding an estimated 73,000 km2 of forest loss.

This report analyzes three national-level pilot programs in China designed to promote low-carbon and eco-efficient industrial parks: the Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) demonstration project, the Circular Transformation of Industrial Parks (CTIP), and the Low-Carbon Industrial Park pilot project. It examines their management structures, certification procedures, and performance indicators, noting that while these programs are voluntary, they provide significant incentives through official naming, certificates, and financial subsidies.

This research paper provides a spatially explicit assessment of woodfuel supply and demand across the tropics for the year 2009, estimating the levels of unsustainable harvesting and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions.